I received a free e-copy of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion. This is the first Essie Lang novel I have ever read.
When bookseller Shelby Cox woke up that morning, she was not expecting a dead body to be floating against her house boat. Unfortunately, that's what she was given. To make matters more complicated, she had met the man previously as he came to her store hoping Shelby could help him locate someone. When his daughter comes to town demanding answers, and Shelby's assistance, Shelby feels she has no other choice but to help. But where does one start one when doesn't even know the man?
This is the third in this series, but it can be read as a stand alone. I did not feel lost with the characters or their histories as I progressed, because the author was very good about interspersing the information. However, I felt that Shelby's history with her parents, and her boyfriend, were a bit too much for one novel. It, honestly, took away from the main plot of the novel which was the murder itself. There were many moments where I felt that Shelby's drama was a diversion, or a hinderance, to the story as it just seemed unnecessary.
As for the murder, it felt lacking. Shelby finds the body, and the person showed up at her store previously but that's about it. It didn't seem like Shelby herself even cared about the murder. I found it hard to believe that in such a small town that not a single resident was able to remember a stranger asking about another potential resident. There is also a town gossip, but it seemed like this was a laisse-faire town. If the main character couldn't be bothered to care, then I found it difficult to pay attention and also be bothered to care.
Overall, this feels like a filler novel to a series. I think I'd like to read the first two novels and see how Shelby's character developed over time, but I'm not in any hurry to check them out. 2 out of 5 stars from me.
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